Family surprises woman with 102nd birthday celebration

Cheryl Truluck, right, shows her grandmother, Ottie Roberson, her birthday cake during a surprise celebration for the family matriarch, who turned 102 years old Monday. More than 100 family members gathered at Lake Houser on Sunday for the Mooresboro native.

Alicia Banks/The Star

By Alicia Banks

Published: Monday, March 18, 2013 at 10:11 PM.

MOORESBORO — Ottie Roberson took baby steps. She came closer to the glass door. The view overlooked Lake Houser nestled in Mooresboro.

A smile stretched across her face as she entered the lake’s clubhouse. Her jeweled peach-colored necklace swayed from side to side.

Her eyes welled with tears when she took her first step inside. Her daughter, Barbara Williams, drove her from Columbia, S.C., to what Roberson thought would be a picnic.

"I’m so shocked, I don’t know what to do," Roberson said. Voices rose to sing "Happy Birthday to You" to Roberson.

Roberson, a former Cone Mill worker in Cleveland County, wasn’t supposed to know. For two weeks, family members across the state, South Carolina and Virginia kept a secret from her — until Sunday afternoon. It’s a secret she jokingly chastised the family about that afternoon.

More than 100 family members gathered to celebrate another birthday for their beloved matriarch.

MOORESBORO — Ottie Roberson took baby steps. She came closer to the glass door. The view overlooked Lake Houser nestled in Mooresboro.

A smile stretched across her face as she entered the lake’s clubhouse. Her jeweled peach-colored necklace swayed from side to side.

Her eyes welled with tears when she took her first step inside. Her daughter, Barbara Williams, drove her from Columbia, S.C., to what Roberson thought would be a picnic.

"I’m so shocked, I don’t know what to do," Roberson said. Voices rose to sing "Happy Birthday to You" to Roberson.

Roberson, a former Cone Mill worker in Cleveland County, wasn’t supposed to know. For two weeks, family members across the state, South Carolina and Virginia kept a secret from her — until Sunday afternoon. It’s a secret she jokingly chastised the family about that afternoon.

More than 100 family members gathered to celebrate another birthday for their beloved matriarch.

Three of Roberson’s children attended the celebration. All are at least 70 years old. Her youngest son, Arnold, said his mother was born a short distance from the calm lake in Mooresboro.

He talks to her, a graduate of the former Boiling Springs College, daily.

Seeing his mother reach 102 is nothing less than enjoyment.

"We’ve (her children) enjoyed having mom with us all these years," Arnold said.

Roberson used to teach Sunday school at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in the area. A former student greeted her with a hug at the celebration. The student’s smile mirrored others in the crowd at the surprise reunion.

One of her granddaughters, Cheryl Truluck of Mooresboro, described Roberson as energetic. Some family members replaced Roberson’s middle name with the word "go" as an ode to her love for travelling and the outdoors.

"She’s lived a good, Christian life. She’s the glue that holds us together," said Sybil Parsons, one of Roberson’s daughters.

‘They told me a plain old lie’

Nieces, nephews and grandchildren — greats and great-greats included — took turns hugging Roberson. Each wished her a happy birthday. She reached her hand out to touch many of their cheeks. She laughed and grinned through the tears.

"They told me a plain old lie," Roberson said, evoking laughter through the crowded clubhouse. "I don’t believe you all did this for me."

Roberson described her life as a long, long journey. She barely touched the plate of home-cooked food before her. Planting soft kisses on cheeks and hugging family members she’s seen grow over the years became her focus that afternoon.

"I never dreamed I would see them all together again," she said amongst the chatter and laughs.